InterMat Staff

Jeff Blatnick, 1984 Olympic gold medalist and NCAA Division II heavyweight wrestling champ, will be welcomed into the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) Hall of Fame Thursday in Las Vegas, nearly three years after his death. Blatnick never stepped into the Octagon as a fighter. However, the wrestling star was instrumental in shaping mixed martial arts (MMA) in general -- and UFC in particular -- in a number of ways, including as an UFC event commentator for every UFC event from the beginning in 1994 through 2001, and as a UFC commissioner ... and, perhaps more fundamentally, as someone who helped develop rules for the sport, and was a major force in helping to reshape a negative public perception of the UFC early in its history. Jeff Blatnick"One of the problems that Blatnick helped the UFC's first owners at the Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) identify and correct was one of perception," wrote Ben Fowlkes of MMAJunkie.com. "When he came to the sport as a commentator at UFC 4, there was still a somewhat positive, though mostly curious buzz surrounding the spectacle of cage fighting." That perception started to change to the negative, due in part to outside influences, such as Sen. John McCain, a former prep school and US Naval Academy wrestler, who referred to UFC as "human cockfighting" ... as well as the UFC itself, which for a time back in the early 1990s, used the advertising slogan "There Are No Rules!" which fueled the perception in the minds of large segments of the general population that UFC was two guys in a cage beating each other bloody. "Jeff recognized that those problems weren't going to go away on their own," longtime referee John McCarthy told MMAJunkie.com. Blatnick was instrumental in developing unified rules for MMA in 2001 ... and, in fact, helping to rebrand the sport as MMA which, for years previously, had been known as no holds barred, or NHB. "Jeff was fond of referring to the sport as a 'mixing of the martial arts,' and realized that the terms 'no-holds-barred', 'vale tudo', or 'cage fighting' would hamper the acceptance of the sport by regulators, distributors and sponsors," said Nick Lembo, counsel for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board which governs MMA in the Garden State. "Jeff had the foresight to see that the sport's growth required a detailed rule set, a list of prohibited actions, and the oversight of athletic commissions in order to grow the sport." The fact that Jeff Blatnick had won a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics -- despite having battled Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer, and had his spleen and appendix removed -- was critical to his success in helping to reshape MMA. It got him in front of politicians and other decision-makers to make his case for UFC. And Blatnick's efforts helped open the door to new career opportunities for other Olympians and former college wrestling stars once they had hung up their singlets, from Olympic gold medalist wrestlers such as Mark Schultz and Kevin Jackson in the 1990s, all the way up to judo bronze medalist Ronda Rousey and wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo in the current era. "I think he fell in love with the idea that this sport gave wrestlers something to do and somewhere to go," McCarthy said. "If you wanted to wrestle in the Olympics and that was your dream, great, but if you wanted to do something later on, this was going to be an avenue you could take. This was something that he honestly believed would help wrestling grow, because that was first love. And he was right. MMA has helped wrestling, and wrestling has helped MMA. He was absolutely correct that a lot of great wrestlers would enter MMA and become great fighters." As MMAJunkie.com concluded its profile of Blatnick on the eve of his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, "What's often forgotten now is the full extent of his impact on MMA, from reshaping the name and the perception of the sport, to developing the modern rulebook, and even pushing for certain figures who would go on to have a profound effect on the future of the UFC." No less a figure than UFC President Dana White weighed in, saying, "Jeff Blatnick is a name that newer fans may not be familiar with, but this guy was a huge part of the UFC's development in the 1990s. He pushed for greater regulation, unified rules and -- because he was an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling -- he had credibility with everyone in the sport. It is our honor to recognize his huge contributions to the UFC by inducting him into the UFC Hall of Fame." Beyond his involvement in UFC, Blatnick was well-known as a commentator for NCAA and Olympic wrestling telecasts. The New York native first made a name for himself on the wrestling mat at Niskayuna High School, where he won the New York state title in the heavyweight division in 1975. He then continued his mat career at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., where he won two NCAA Division II heavyweight titles, then became a two-time NCAA Division I All-American, placing sixth at the 1978 NCAAs and third in 1979. (Back then, D2 wrestling champs were eligible to compete at the NCAA Div. I Championships.) Blatnick earned a place on two U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling teams. The 1980 squad did not compete because of the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics. However, Blatnick was able to compete at the 1984 Olympics, where he won the gold medal in superheavyweight competition, joining Steve Fraser as the first two U.S. Greco wrestlers to claim gold in Olympic competition. Blatnick carried the flag for the U.S. at the Closing Ceremonies at the '84 Games. His story of overcoming cancer made his Olympic accomplishments all the sweeter, and made him known to a wider public beyond the amateur wrestling community. In addition to serving as a UFC commentator during the organization's formative years, Blatnick was instrumental in helping to establish rules for the sport, and, in fact, was licensed as an MMA judge and referee in New Jersey. He also remained connected to wrestling, serving as a high school coach in upstate New York right up to his passing in October 2012, the result of cardio-pulmonary arrest following heart surgery in Schenectady, N.Y. at age 55. Jeff Blatnick was welcomed as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. in 1999. In addition to Jeff Blatnick, others who are being welcomed into the UFC Hall of Fame include Frank Trigg, Matt Hughes, Bas Rutten, and B.J. Penn.

Edinboro University Director of Athletics Bruce Baumgartner today announced the addition of former Fighting Scots All-American Mitchell Port to the wrestling staff. Port concluded his wrestling career at Edinboro in March, joining a small group of three-time All-Americans at Edinboro. "We're ecstatic," exclaimed head coach Tim Flynn in regards to Port's addition to the coaching staff. "We haven't had a volunteer in a couple years. To get one of that caliber is outstanding. He wanted to stay and we wanted him. What better fit could you find? We have a young team. To be able to learn from one of our greatest wrestlers ever, particularly with his work ethic, will be of great benefit to our wrestlers. It's just an all-around great fit." Port concluded his career with a 132-17 record while competing at 141 lbs., tied for eighth in career victories. His 35 falls ranks ninth. He finished as the runner-up at Nationals as a sophomore and senior and took home third place as a junior. His .886 career winning percentage ranks third. A native of Bellefonte, Pa., Port was named the 2015 PSAC Athlete of the Year while sharing EWL Wrestler of the Year honors with teammate Dave Habat. He was previously named the EWL Wrestler of the Year in 2013 and '14 and the PSAC Athlete of the Year in 2013. He was also named WrestlingReport.com's 2015 Pennsylvania Collegiate Wrestler of the Year. He was a four-time PSAC champion and won three EWL titles. He helped lead the Fighting Scots to the 2015 Eastern Wrestling League dual meet and tournament championships, along with a fourth straight PSAC championship. Edinboro capped the year with its best finish ever at the NCAA Division I National Championships. Flynn's Fighting Scots finished in third place as a record-tying four wrestlers earned All-American honors. Port became a three-time All-American after reaching the finals at 141 lbs. for the second time in three years. Seeded second, he won his first four matches, including a 9-4 decision over seventh-seed Anthony Ashnault of Rutgers in the quarterfinals and a 14-2 major decision over Chris Mecate of Old Dominion, the 11th seed, in the semifinals. Port dropped an 11-5 decision to top-seed Logan Stieber of Ohio State in the finals. Port ended the year with a 36-2 record with 13 falls, two technical falls, and nine major decisions. He won his fourth PSAC championship along with a third EWL crown, and also picked up his second Midlands Championships title. He was named the Art Craft Champion of Champions at the Midlands. In addition, he received the EWL's Most Dual Points award. After redshirting in 2010-11, Port enjoyed an outstanding first season as the starter at 141 lbs. in 2011-12. He ended the year with a 30-10 record and reached the Round of 12 at Nationals. He finished second at the EWL Championships and won his first PSAC crown. Port's second trip to Nationals resulted in a run to the title match after a 7-6 upset of top-seeded Hunter Stieber of Ohio State in the semifinals. He would drop a 4-3 decision to second-seeded Kendric Maple of Oklahoma in the 141 lb. national championship match. Port ended his redshirt sophomore season with a 34-4 record and was named the EWL and PSAC Wrestler of the Year. He won his first EWL crown and second PSAC championship. In 2013-14, Port was named the EWL Wrestler of the Year after becoming a two-time All-American with a third place finish at 141 lbs. He ended the year with a 32-1 record with 13 falls, and would finish third at Nationals. He claimed his second EWL and third PSAC titles while being named the EWL Wrestler of the Year for the second time. He also won his first Midlands Championships crown. Port was a three-time PIAA place-winner and four-time state qualifier at Bellefonte Area High School. He won the 125 lb. PIAA Class AAA state championships as a senior.

Griffin Parriott is the nation's No. 22 recruit by InterMatTwo-time state champion Griffin Parriott (New Prague, Minn.), the nation's No. 22 recruit, verbally committed to Purdue on Wednesday morning, where he joins No. 75 Devin Schroder (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.) as a top 100 wrestler in the Boilermakers' 2016 recruiting class. Parriott was undefeated on his way to a second consecutive state title in 2014-15, which included victories in the finals of the Minnesota Christmas Tournament and Cheesehead Invitational over nationally ranked wrestlers. Before the season, Parriott placed fifth in the Super 32 Challenge and was a runner-up at the InterMat JJ Classic. This spring he was third at 66 kilos in the UWW Junior Nationals. Parriott projects as a 157-pound wrestler in college. Purdue finished this past season with a 10-8 dual meet record under the direction of first-year head coach Tony Ersland. Eight Boilermakers qualified for the NCAAs, a program high that was previously accomplished in 1993 and 2003.

One week ago today was the conclusion of the AAU Scholastic (Disney) Duals in the District All-Star division. The event was held at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Talented wrestlers were abound throughout the teams competing in the event ... some appeared in the weight class and/or grade-level rankings this past season, and others will fit in the rankings during the next season. The rest of this article will discuss a wrestler from almost every weight class that will be competing during the 2015-16 high school season, who had an excellent tournament based on overall record as well as notable victories. Weight classes at this event were scratch plus five pounds with a weigh-in held the evening (Saturday) before the four-day (Sunday-Wednesday) competition. 106: Tristan Serbus (Corunna, Mich./Michigan Blue) Serbus went 11-0 in contested matches (i.e. not forfeits), including ten wins by fall, half of those in the first period. Included in those falls are two over state champions, Mason Wohltman (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) and Dakota Roark (West Wilkes, N.C.). Additional falls came against state placer Kevan Gentile (Jim Thorpe, Pa.) and ranked incoming freshman Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio). This past season he finished second in his state tournament at 112 pounds. Others to go undefeated: Matt Kazimir (St. Edward, Ohio/The Wrestling Factory of Cleveland) and Cole Manley (Altoona, Pa./Young Guns Black) 113: Joseph Silva (Lake Highland Prep, Fla./CFWA-South Florida Lightning) Silva, ranked nationally in the Class of 2018, went 12-0 in contested matches with only one victory not coming by a bonus point outcome. In total, half of his matches ended in a fall, with two others being technical falls. Notable wins included pins over two-time state placers in Daniel Moran (Northampton, Pa.) and Ana Abduljelil (Whitehall, Ohio), as well as a 2-1 tiebreak victory over fellow nationally ranked Class of 2018 wrestler Tommy Hoskins (Dayton Christian, Ohio). Others to go undefeated: Jack Wagner (Bettendorf, Iowa/Iowa Black) and Max Murin (Central Cambria, Pa./Young Guns Black) 120: Mitch Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio/Ohio Mafia) Despite suffering a loss during the course of the tournament, 3-1 against state champion Kyran Hagan (Eureka, Mo.), the top five Class of 2018 prospect had an excellent tournament going 11-1. This included three victories over two-time state champions: 10-8 in the tiebreaker over Jacob Schwarm (Bettendorf, Iowa), 5-2 over Lucas Hall (Lowell, Mich.), and a 12-2 major decision over Danny Bertoni (Middletown, Md.). An additional victory of note came 2-0 in overtime against two-time state placer Colin Glorioso (Huntingdon, Pa.). Lone undefeated wrestler: Allan Hart (St. Edward, Ohio/The Wrestling Factory of Cleveland) 126: Colby Smith (Holt, Mo./Ozark Team STL Slayers) The top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler went 8-0 in contested matches during the tournament, with six of those wins coming by bonus points (two pins, two technical falls, and two major decisions). Four of those wins came against noted state placers, including a 14-5 major decision over Zach Trampe (Council Rock South, Pa.), a state runner-up and top 50 Class of 2017 wrestler. The others were by 16-0 technical fall over state runner-up Grant Stotts (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa), 5-0 over 2013 state placer Jacob Wasser (Palisades, Pa.), and 8-4 over Tanner Smith (Mechanicsburg, Ohio). Others to go undefeated: Brendan Black (Hobart, Ind./Indiana Gorillas) and Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa./MAWA Blue) 132: George Phillippi (Derry Area, Pa./Young Guns Black) The top 15 Class of 2016 wrestler went 9-1 for the tournament, including a 4-3 win over top 50 Class of 2015 wrestler Cameron Kelly (Bellbrook, Ohio), as well as a 9-4 decision over state champion and Junior National freestyle All-American Jonathan Gabriel (Bedford, Pa.). The loss came by a 5-3 score over graduated senior Evan Cheek (Milan Edison, Ohio), a state champion this past season. Undefeated wrestlers: Kizhan Clarke (Riverview, Fla./Special Ops) and Josh Heil (Brunswick, Ohio/Ohio Devils) 138: Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford, Pa./Young Guns Black) The top ten Class of 2017 wrestler was an undefeated 10-0 for the tournament, including eight victories coming by bonus point outcomes, six of those being first period wins by fall. Notable wins included a 3-2 decision over two-time state champion Nate Hagan (Toledo Central Catholic, Ohio), a 15-2 major decision over three-time state placer Kyle Shoop (Boiling Springs, Pa.), a 7-6 victory over top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Brent Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), and a 0:33 fall against New England runner-up Ryan Monteiro (Minnechaug, Mass.). 145: Logan Lacure (Dayton Christian, Ohio/Ohio Grapplers) Two-time state champion Lacure fell outside of the top 100 rankings for the Class of 2016 in the most recent update, but he had a most excellent Disney Duals going 9-2. Those two losses came against top 100 Class of 2015 wrestlers in No. 14 Max Thomsen (Union, Iowa) and No. 75 Patricio Lugo (South Dade, Fla.). Lacure's best win of the tournament came in the form of a 4-3 win over top 100 Class of 2016 wrestle Kevin Budock (Good Counsel, Md.), while he also had three other rather notable wins: 7-4 over two-time state champion Austin Thompson (Marysville, Mich.), 7-4 over state runner-up and top 50 Class of 2018 wrestler Robbie Patrick (Ligonier Valley, Pa.), and 5-3 over three-time state placer Nick Monico (Saegertown, Pa.). 152: Drew Hughes (Lowell, Ind./Michigan Gold Pitbulls) This state champion, and No. 34 ranked overall Class of 2016 wrestler, went 7-0 for the tournament in contested matches. This included a 3-0 victory over top 30 Class of 2017 wrestler Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio), and a 1-0 win over fellow top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Elijah Cleary (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.). The five other wins for Hughes during the event came in the form of shutout technical falls. Others to go undefeated: Lawrence Kosoy (Olympic Heights, Fla./CFWA-South Florida Lightning) 160: Kaleb Young (Punxsatawney, Pa./Young Guns Black) Like in the 145 pound weight class, no returning to high school wrestler went undefeated in this weight class during the event. The most notable performance by an underclassman was from Young, an Iowa commit who is ranked No. 40 overall in the Class of 2016. He went 8-1 in contested matches during the event, including a 5-3 decision over top 100 Class of 2015 wrestler Cole Watler (Mifflinburg, Pa.) and a 0:54 pin over state runner-up Jesse Beverly (Delta, Ohio). The lone loss for Young was 4-2 against another top 100 Class of 2015 wrestler in Devin Skatzka (Richmond, Mich.). 170: Chris Weiler (Wyoming Seminary, Pa./MAWA Blue) The top 20 Class of 2016 won his first National Prep championship this past season, and just went 10-0 during the Disney Duals. Furthermore, eight of those wins came by bonus point outcomes. Notable victories included a win by fall over two-time state champion Raekwon Reggler (Somerset Academy, Fla.), a 7-5 win over another two-time state champion in Jacob Holschlag (Union, Iowa), along with a 13-0 major decision over two-time state placer Jake Shaffer (Greater Latrobe, Pa.). 182: Brandon Whitman (Dundee, Mich./Ohio Grapplers) The Disney Duals served as a culmination to a very busy eight-day stretch for this top ten Class of 2018 wrestler. Two weeks prior to the Junior Duals/Disney Duals extravaganza, Whitman went 15-0 across styles at the Cadet Duals. At the Junior Duals (the Wednesday through Saturday before Disney), he went 12-2 across styles (7-1 Greco-Roman, 5-1 freestyle) before making the flight to Florida. While at Disney, he went 11-0 with some notable wins: 2-1 over top ten Class of 2017 wrestler Chase Singletary (Blair Academy, N.J.), 2-1 over state champion Joe Teague (Algona, Iowa), 5-1 over state champion Shane Rodenburg (New Kent, Mich.), and 6-4 over state champion Matthew Kindler (Aquinas Catholic, Neb.). Others to go undefeated: Dakota Geer (Franklin, Pa./MAWA Blue) and Garrett Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa.) 220: Seth Janney (South Western, Pa./Brawlers Elite Thunder) Ranked inside the top 50 for the Class of 2017, this state runner-up went 8-0 in contested matches during the Disney Duals, with five of those wins coming by fall. Notable victories included a 7-5 decision over two-time state placer Gabriel Rangel (Davenport Assumption, Iowa), a pin in 1:06 over two-time state placer Devin Richard (Delta, Ohio), a 7-6 decision over state runner-up Jalen Martin (Jefferson City, Mo.), and a 4-1 victory over state champion Cary Miller (Northwest Guilford, N.C.). Others to go undefeated: Chase Beard (Allegan, Mich./Michigan Gold Pitbulls) 285: Gabriel Beyer (Leon, Fla./CFWA-South Florida Lightning) Totally off the radar as just a state runner-up without any other notable credentials prior to the Disney Duals, Beyer certainly enhanced his profile with an 11-1 mark in contested matches during the event. This included three rather high profile victories: 3-2 over Flo Nationals champion Nick Coe (Asheboro, N.C.), 7-3 over state champion Chance Veller (Delta, Ohio), and 4-1 against National Prep champion Michael Rogers (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.). The lone loss came 4-3 against state runner-up Deaken McCoy (Galion, Ohio), while Beyer also earned 3-2 victory over two-time National Prep placer Kosta Golobokov (The Phelps School, Pa.). Undefeated wrestler: Dante Jiovanetta (Coral Shores, Fla./Special Ops)

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is offering an online auction of a unique fan experience for the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas this fall, the Hall announced Tuesday on Twitter. This one-of-a-kind Hall of Fame Experience package includes two tickets for the six-day event and other exclusive perks, available in an eBay auction, which is now underway, ending Thursday, July 16, 2015 at 3 p.m. Central. The winning bidder for the Hall of Fame Experience will receive premium Gold Level all-session tickets for freestyle and Greco-Roman competition in the special Hall of Fame section for the United World Wrestling Championships, held at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on September 7-12, 2015. The auction package also includes two tickets to the Greco-Roman Hall of Champions induction honoring World Champion Dremiel Byers, the 2007 U.S. World Championships team, and United World Wrestling President Nenad Lalovic on Tuesday evening, Sept. 8, two tickets to the Women's Wrestling social featuring international world medalists and U.S. national team members on Thursday evening, Sept. 10, and a personalized, signed copy of Dan Gable's new book A Wrestling Life. As with any auction of this type, there is fine print. Bidders must be 18 years old or older to bid. No lodging or transportation of any kind will be provided. Tickets are non-transferable after initial names are submitted. Tickets will be mailed in August. No refund for failure to attend. All gifts to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. Over the years, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has offered other special "Experience" auctions as fundraisers for their facilities in Stillwater, Okla. and Waterloo, Iowa. Two years ago, InterMat profiled the winner of the 2013 Ultimate Dan Gable Experience, Mark Dollins, about his experience which included quality time with the legendary wrestler and coach, Dan Mack Gable.

The just-concluded Fourth of July holiday not only marks the founding of our nation, but also the halfway point of the calendar year. With the year half over, it's an appropriate time to look back at what may be the top five news stories in college wrestling for the first six months of 2015 ... at least in the opinion of this writer, who has concentrated on reporting big-picture college wrestling news stories since 2009. No. 5: Former NCAA champ Pucillo, high school wrestlers reveal they're gay Months before the Supreme Court ruled on same-sex marriage, three amateur wrestlers came out in the media as gay. Just after the conclusion of the college wrestling season, Mike Pucillo, 2008 NCAA 184-pound champ for Ohio State, revealed his sexual orientation in an exclusive interview with wrestling journalist Jason Bryant. In subsequent weeks, two high school seniors -- Cole Fox of Iowa, and Alec Donovan of New Jersey -- also went public. Fox, who wrestled at Don Bosco near Waterloo, will be attending University of Northern Iowa this fall, but has not said publicly whether he will join the Panthers. Donovan, a 2015 state champ for Brick Memorial High, has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Cal Poly. No. 4: Mock fired; one last year for Minkel Just when it seemed the annual game of musical chairs for college wrestling coaches seemed to be much tamer this offseason than last, two bombshells were dropped. First, University of North Carolina announced the firing of C.D. Mock, 1982 NCAA champ for the school who had been head coach of the Tarheels for a dozen years, with allegations from the coach that his dismissal was more about his blog comments instead of his squad's on-the-mat performance. Then Michigan State announced a "coaching succession plan for wrestling" with head coach Tom Minkel slated to retire at the end of the 2015-16 season -- his 25th at the helm -- with long-time head coach Roger Chandler taking over. No. 3: New college programs launched, some existing ones axed ... and a couple killed, then resurrected. In the first six months of 2015, there was good news and bad news regarding college wrestling programs. North Carolina's Greensboro College and Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia are both establishing new wrestling programs ... Oklahoma's Bacone and Ferrum in Virginia added women's programs to existing men's programs, Millikin University in Illinois is bringing back wrestling after a half-decade absence ... and Fresno State made it official: the Bulldogs will be back on the mat in 2018-19 after the program was axed in 2007. Two other programs -- Cleveland State, and Northern State -- which had been slated for elimination were quickly granted a reprieve by school administrators, in large part to uproar, then generous financial support, from the wrestling community. Other programs given the axe in 2015 -- Georgia's Darton State, Arizona's Glendale Community College, Yeshiva University in New York City, Illinois' Knox College, both NCAA Division III programs -- have yet to receive a second chance as of this writing. No. 2: Fab freshmen Martinez, Tomasello, Snyder Three collegiate freshmen stand out in this writer's mind as having stellar seasons in 2015. Illinois' Isaiah Martinez capped off a perfect season as a freshman -- the first first-year collegian to do so since Cael Sanderson for Iowa State in 1999 -- by winning the 157-pound crown at the 2015 Big Ten and NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships ... then being named InterMat Freshman of the Year in a unanimous vote of the website's staff. Ohio State's Nathan Tomasello made a splash by winning the 125-pound title at both the 2015 Big Ten and NCAA championships. His true freshman teammate, Kyle Snyder, made it to the finals of the conference and national championships ... but really made a name for himself in more recent freestyle competition, shutting out his Cuban opponent at the "Salsa on the Square" event at New York City's Times Square in May, then defeating 2012 Olympic gold medalist and former NCAA champ Jake Varner, first at the 2015 U.S. Open, then in the finals of the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials in June, to wrestle for the US at 97 kilos/213 pounds at the World Championships in Las Vegas in September. No. 1: A historic year for Ohio State and Logan Stieber Logan Stieber celebrates his fourth NCAA title with his parents (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The Buckeyes concluded the 2014-15 season by tying (with University of Iowa) for first place at the 2015 Big Ten Wrestling Championships (the first time Ohio State had won a team title at the Big Tens in 65 years) ... then, two weeks later, grabbed the team title at the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the program's first national mat title in the 85-year history of the NCAAs. Ohio State had three wrestlers in the finals, with two -- freshman Tomasello at 125 pounds, and senior Logan Stieber at 141 -- winning individual titles. It was Stieber's fourth NCAA championship, making him only the fourth Division I wrestler to join the four-timers club. In recent months, Stieber nabbed additional honors, including the Hodge Award as best college wrestler, InterMat Wrestler of the Year, Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year, and Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year. He's also nominated for an ESPY as Best College Male Athlete.

What are you doing this Sunday? While you may be playing a round of golf or having a cookout, Alex Polizzi -- former Northwestern University wrestler -- is seeking to trade in his singlet for servicing stock cars, by trying out for a spot on a NASCAR pit crew, the Beloit Daily News reported Monday. Alex Polizzi earned a technical victory over Stanford's Ryan Davies (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Polizzi -- who won a Wisconsin state title while wrestling at Beloit Memorial High School before becoming a Wildcat wrestler -- will travel to Charlotte, N.C. July 12 for the final round of tryouts for a spot in a pit crew with Hendrick Motorsports. "For the past 20 years or so, Hendrick actively recruits college athletes," Polizzi told the Beloit Daily News. "They have mainly gone with football players, but lately they've had a lot of success getting wrestlers and have found they have gone through the developmental program much faster. "They called my coach at Northwestern, and he told them he had just the guy for them. I went to a pit crew combine a few weeks ago, and got the call back to do the final state in the process." Experience in stepping out onto a wrestling mat may seem to have nothing to do with being a member of a NASCAR pit crew, where members perform a number of duties throughout a race -- from changing tires to refueling the race car -- duties which require strength, flexibility, lightning speed and precision teamwork. While the initial combine measured the applicants' abilities in things like the shuttle run, bench press, and vertical leap, the final step in the process involves actually putting tools in the hands of potential pit crew members such as Polizzi. "From what they've told me, they really are just looking for athletes and guys that are smart," Polizzi said. "In fact, they said sometimes it's good if a person isn't coming in with a lot of car experience, because they won't have to un-learn bad habits, and they start with a blank slate. "Cars have never really been my bag, but not necessarily for lack of interest ... But once they show me what to do, I feel confident I'd be able to pick up on it quickly," said Polizzi, who graduated from Northwestern in May with a degree in philosophy and a minor in math. "A lot of the tinkering and stuff with the cars happen in the garage. In the pit crew, it's really a lot of athletic movements that need to be done quickly. I started with a class of 90 kids, and now that's down to the final 18. From there, they'll pick six-to-eight guys that make it." What's next for Polizzi if he passes Sunday's tryout? The Wisconsin native will then relocate to Charlotte, where he will go to a developmental school to learn the fine points of working the pits, before eventually making his way to a minor NASCAR series. According to Polizzi, it can take about three years before an individual is working at the Cup Series level. "Each person has to pay their dues and work at places like the Truck Series. But there's always a chance at those places that you get noticed by a major team that gives you a shot to work for them," said the former 197-pounder for Northwestern who battled with a torn meniscus last season, but has now recovered. Polizzi isn't the first NCAA Division I wrestler to have participated in the Hendrick Motorsports pit training program, which actively seeks out potential participants at its website. Last fall, the University of Pittsburgh wrestling website featured a story about three former Panthers -- Matt Wilps, Donnie Tasser and Zac Thomusseit -- and their quest for a career in NASCAR. The leap from wrestling mat to superspeedway pit crew may seem an extreme career stretch. However, being member of a NASCAR pit crew, where members perform a number of duties throughout a race -- from changing tires to refueling the race car -- which require strength, flexibility, lightning speed and precision teamwork. "NASCAR has been recruiting athletes for this, and my friends and I heard about it through the grapevine, so we went and tried out," Wilps said in the Pitt wrestling page profile. "They liked what the wrestlers had to offer -- good speed when you're down low, like a wrestling stance." "It's sort of like any other sport, where you practice the play," Wilps continued. "Sometimes you'll only need to change two tires and you need to make a suspension adjustment. We'll run through practicing that so you can prepare for different situations and try to get the very specific motion, that's fast and as consistent as possible." Hendrick Motorsports has earned a record 11 car owner championships in NASCAR's premier division, the Sprint Cup Series, since 1984. According to its website, "Hendrick Motorsports provides a one-of-a-kind working experience where a diverse group of highly talented team members can work together to achieve a common goal. We are committed to embracing innovation with intensity to perform at the highest level expected by our dedicated sponsors and fans worldwide. Hendrick Motorsports continuously seeks skilled and talented individuals who are motivated and passionate about helping us meet our goals." Guys like Polizzi and Wilps prove that there are other options for former college wrestlers who seek out a career that employs the physical skills they've acquired from years on the mat, without having to climb into a pro wrestling ring, or participate in mixed martial arts.

One of the primary skills of being a wrestling coach is being a juggler ... as in having to juggle multiple jobs that go beyond coaching and training wrestlers. You have to be a camera operator, a statistician, a bookkeeper and more as you film footage of your wrestlers in action ... while keeping score of matches with a pencil and scorebook ... then trying to bring this information all together. Keeping all these balls in the air can be labor-intensive process for any wrestling program, whether it has multiple assistant coaches and managers able to participate in various aspects of the process ... or if it all falls on the shoulders of one coach. As Jeremy Hipps, one of the partner-owners of RevWrestling, parent of InterMat, described the process, "A lot of teams have a video camera to record matches, and a paper scorebook to record statistics. Then the coach has to go back through the video segments, ID each segment, then store them, then tie in the statistics recorded on paper." Now there's a product that brings together stats and video in one seamless solution that incorporates the technology of a tablet that most coaches and wrestling programs already have ... and it's called MatBoss, now from InterMat. The MatBoss App for iPad integrates wrestling stats directly into the video recorded for each match, eliminating the need for traditional, labor-intensive pencil-and-paper scoring. How MatBoss came into being John Peterson could be described as the "boss" of MatBoss. He was a wrestling coach at Elk River High School in Minnesota for 32 years ... as well as a math and computer science instructor. "I was big into using statistics for creating plans for wrestling practice," Peterson told InterMat. "Doing things manually was time-consuming and frustrating," citing the method of bringing together video and hand-written stats that can involve multiple steps and hours of labor. "I had come up with some very basic programs to help me keep my sanity," Peterson continued. "About six or seven years ago, I retired from active coaching, but was still involved in wrestling. I came up with a system I called Match Maker tournament software. About three years ago, I started offering this tournament software for sale to schools, mostly in Minnesota." "Two years ago, a coach at Elk River, Tyler Hemmesch, and I were talking about the hassles of dealing with match footage -- having to put each match as a separate file, then give it its own file name, then store it. We thought it would be great to be able to add specific info to the video, like counting the takedowns in a match." (You may recognize the Hemmesch name; he was a national freestyle and Greco-Roman champ, wrestled at North Dakota State, and was a four-time placer at the Minnesota high school state wrestling tournament.) "Tyler and I have had a pretty good partnership," Peterson added. "Fifteen or so schools adopted the system. It was good to get outside perspectives from actual users. However, we couldn't get as much growth in sales of the product as we had hoped." That all started to change a year or so ago. Enter InterMat Jeremy Hipps picks up the story. "InterMat got involved with John Peterson's product at the JJ Classic. (Sponsored by InterMat, the JJ Classic is an annual tournament held each fall for top high school wrestlers in the upper Midwest.) At a social event for the coaches, a couple coaches said, 'You've got to take a look at this app.'" InterMat parent RevWrestling acquired a fifty percent stake in the venture, then called Match Maker. "We created a new identity -- MatBoss -- rebranded it and refined the product," said Hipps. "We've been showing demos, getting high school and college coaches to commit." John Peterson weighs in: "It's been a fun, great partnership. Thanks to InterMat's expertise, we now have teams widespread throughout the United States." How MatBoss works Recording in MatBossAs stated earlier, the MatBoss app allows wrestling coaches to bring together match video, scoring information and statistics, and additional notations in various forms, all with an eye toward providing enhanced instruction to wrestlers ... without the time and effort of traditional methods that made separate functions of filming matches and keeping stats using paper and pencil. MatBoss offers various options for a coach to annotate match footage with his own comments or illustrations. The coach can offer verbal instruction with a voice-over ... or written commentary, with words that appear right on the screen ... or with illustrations, using a newly added "telestrator" feature that allows the coach to make markings, directional arrows or other drawings on the screen -- just like sports commentators on football telecasts, or your local TV weather forecaster -- as an instructional tool for wrestlers. Incorporating the additional features on top of the match video -- the scoring, written comments, audio comments, or on-screen drawings -- can be done one of two ways. It can be done while the match is being filmed ... or added in later, as the coach reviews the footage. Uploading video is easy on MatBossIn addition, the MatBoss app makes it easy to archive (save, store and file) wrestler footage. "We use Amazon Cloud," said Peterson. "It's very easy for a coach to upload match video. The typical speed for an at-home online connection is about 2-3 minutes per match. It's all automatic; the coach simply hits the 'start' button, then can walk away. As one coach told me, 'All I care is that it just plain works.'" "It eliminates the need to make DVDs for each wrestler," said Peterson. "A wrestler or his friends or family can call up their matches on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and watch anywhere, at any time." The MatBoss app may be used for any wrestling program at any level -- youth, high school, college, club, according to Jeremy Hipps. As for cost ... MatBoss users pay one price for a one-year subscription which allows a school to install the app on as many devices as necessary, with an unlimited number of accounts for as many coaches and wrestlers as a program has. There are no pay-per-view or pay-per-event fees, making it easy for a wrestling program to budget. Benefits of MatBoss "MatBoss can be used as a teaching tool for personalized, individualized instruction," said John Peterson. "It's more than just watching video. A coach can type in comments over the film, or use the 'telestrator' feature to point out mistakes and offer guidance and instruction to each wrestler." In describing MatBoss' "telestrator" and how it can benefit both the coach and his wrestlers, Peterson said, "The coach can draw where a wrestler's feet should be, or trace a particular movement, that he can use to help an individual wrestler work on positioning or how he does takedowns or whatever ... The markings aren't necessarily a permanent feature of the video; they can be easily removed." Because all video and annotations are stored in the Cloud, that offers additional benefits to wrestling programs. "Teams can easily organize their own library of match footage, without much effort, and have easy access to it," according to Peterson. He described how his high school made the most of this library as a training tool. "Once a week, Elk River would spend part of its wrestling practice in the computer lab. Each wrestler would call up video of his own matches, with the coach's voice or typed-in comments or on-screen illustrations. Wrestlers could also use it as a scouting tool to see upcoming opponents in action." "Coaches can also start filming practice, and provide analysis, just like they can with actual matches." MatBoss offers a suite of features which allow users to pick and choose which aspects they want to use. "Coaches really like that the system tracks career wins and other stats," said Peterson. "Coaches have the option to enter older stats. Then MatBoss automatically provides alerts when a wrestler breaks a record, or achieves a specific milestone, such as number of wins, or number of falls. This makes it easier to acknowledge these accomplishments as they occur, and/or at an end-of-season awards banquet, for instance." It's not just the coach and his wrestlers that can benefit from the fact that footage is now archived in the Cloud. "Now college coaches can get easy access to a wrestler's matches for recruitment purposes," according to Peterson. "A high school coach can put together a virtual 'highlight reel' for a particular wrestler, and email that file to the recruiting coach, without having to go to the time, trouble and expense of putting together an actual tape or DVD and then mailing it to multiple college coaches." This stored-in-the-Cloud capability also makes it possible for just about anyone to view video captured by MatBoss, including other wrestlers and coaches, as well as prospective college coaches, via InterMat. "A library of videos recorded by MatBoss users is available at InterMat for free," said Jeremy Hipps. "It's an automated, integrated solution. No extra work for coaches. However, a coach can easily decide to opt out and not to make their videos available in the InterMat library." What's more, the Cloud capability is a plus for those outside wrestling as well. "Now, if a wrestler's grandma and grandpa or girlfriend can't get to a match, they can watch it easily from just about any device," said Peterson. "Once coaches see it, the reaction is incredible," said Peterson. "To our knowledge, there's nothing else like it." To that end, some coaches who use MatBoss weighed in with their opinions. "This is our first year of using MatBoss stats and video program," said coach Mike Montgomery of Sparta High School in Wisconsin. "It provided an excellent platform for videotaping matches, collecting stats, and offering a coaching and teaching tool for individual improvement. The technical support and assistance is what I was most impressed with. Any questions or issues were dealt with immediately and always with a follow-up to make sure everything was OK." Dan Lefebvre, coach at Minnesota's St. Michael-Abertville High, said, "MatBoss has provided an easy method for us to videotape our wrestlers' matches and an efficient way for them to access and view their matches online. In addition, the stats program is user friendly and provides us with all the reports we need." "MatBoss is the complete package," said coach Joey Casterline of Glasgow High School in Montana. "The ability to video and record on the same device is invaluable. This is hands-down the best program on the market and the only one that I will use." To learn more about MatBoss, visit the website, which provides additional product information and testimonials. For coaches who have additional questions or would like to request a demo, simply fill out this form.

Gerry Brisco and Nick Dinsmore will go “On the Mat” is this Wednesday, July 8. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. Brisco, a former wrestler at Oklahoma State, was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is the president of the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame selection committee. Dinsmore is a former WWE wrestler who competed at Eugene. He will participate in the Impact Pro Wrestling show on Friday, July 10. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments.

T.C. WarnerT.C. Warner will be transferring to Bloomsburg. This news comes one day after the announcement of Warner leaving Old Dominion. This past season he compiled a 27-14 record as a freshman 157-pounder at ODU. Warner was runner-up at The Citadel Open and the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open. Warner, who wrestled at Cumberland Valley (Pa.) High School, was a state champion in 2014 and a three-time state finalist. He was the nation's No. 25 recruit in the Class of 2014 by InterMat.

NORFOLK, Va. -- Rising sophomore wrestler T.C. Warner (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) will not be returning to the Old Dominion wrestling team next season, as announced by head coach Steve Martin on Sunday. "Our coaching staff and T.C. have reached a mutual agreement that it is in the best interests of both parties that he be released from the program," Martin said. Warner, the younger brother of recently graduated Monarch wrestler Tristan Warner, compiled a 27-14 record during his true freshman campaign, while starting at 157 lbs. for the Monarchs. He led the team with eight falls and claimed second place finishes at The Citadel Open and the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open.

Guadalajara, Mexico -- The United States dominated the UWW Pan American Cadet Championships in Greco-Roman, winning seven gold medals and claiming a medal in all 10 weight classes. The USA won the team title handlily, ahead of host Mexico, which finished second. Americans had a 24-3 overall record, and scored bonus points (pins or Technical falls) in 19 of their wins. Gold medals went to: Mosha Schwartz, Franktown, Colo. at 42 kilos Drew Mattin, Delta, Ohio at 50 kilos Austin Gomez, Carol Stream, Ill. at 54 kilos Taylor LaMont, Mapleton, Utah at 58 kilos Quentin Hovis, Chandler, Ariz. at 69 kilos Wyatt Koelling, Kaysville, Utah at 85 kilos Cohlton Schultz, Denver, Colo., 1st at 100 kilos Read full story …

Lincoln McIlravy, three-time NCAA wrestling champ, Olympic bronze medalist and five-time South Dakota state titlewinner, was the only wrestler among a dozen individuals welcomed into the National High School Hall of Fame in New Orleans on Thursday, July 2. A product of Philip, S.D., McIlravy, 40, found success at every level of his wrestling career. He was a five-time state champion at Philip High School, winning the 98-pound title in 1988, 112 in 1989, 125 in 1990, and 152 in 1991 and 1992, becoming only the second South Dakotan to win five state prep titles. McIlravy had a high school mat record of 200-25, served as team captain as a junior and senior, and was voted Most Valuable Wrestler three times. McIlravy also held school records for most falls, most takedowns and most consecutive falls. In addition, he also won Cadet and Junior national freestyle titles. McIlravy also excelled in the classroom, as an honor roll student and National Honor Society member. Lincoln McIlravy (Photo/Larry Slater)McIlravy was introduced to wrestling at age 5, joining his brothers Arthur and Clayton in the Philip youth program. "I wasn't the toughest kid in Philip or the toughest kid at practice, but I was a little better than average,'' McIlravy is quoted in his South Dakota Hall of Fame biography. "More importantly, I really liked it, so I worked at it a lot. I played football and baseball, too, but by eighth grade I made a year-round commitment to wrestling." McIlravy made the most of that commitment in college wrestling at the University of Iowa, where he was a four-time NCAA finalist, winning the 142-pound crown at the 1993 NCAAs, then NCAA titles at 150 in 1994 and 1997. He was also a three-time Big Ten conference champ. Wrestling for legendary Iowa head coach Dan Gable, McIlravy compiled a 96-3 record as a Hawkeye. The South Dakota native also made his presence felt in international freestyle competition. Among McIlravy's career highlights: Four National Open Championships, 1998 Goodwill Games winner, two-time World Championships medalist (third in 1998, second in 1999), and bronze medalist at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. McIlravy was one of a dozen honorees welcomed this week into the National High School Hall of Fame, which was created in 1982 by the National Federation of High School Associations to honor high school athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and others. Others in the Class of 2015 include athletes Cindy Borgdon and Jackie Stiles (both girls' basketball); coaches David Barney (swimming), J.T. Curtis (football), Rick Lorenz (girls' volleyball), Don Petranovich (girls' basketball) and Charles "Corky" Rogers (football); official Joseph Pangrazio Sr. (football); administrator Doug Chickering (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association); and performing arts selection Mike Burton (speech and debate coach). With the 2015 class, a total of 435 individuals have been welcomed into the National High School Hall of Fame. In addition to the National High School Hall of Fame, McIlravy has also been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2010, the South Dakota Hall of Fame, and the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame as a member of the 1996-97 Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team.

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wisc. -- Eight talented athletes won the coveted USA Wrestling Kids Triple Crown on Thursday, after capturing freestyle national titles in their weight class. To win the Triple Crown, an athlete must win USA Wrestling national titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle the same year. Eight wrestlers won the Kids Triple CrownThe eight Triple Crown winners this year are: Daniel Max Magayna of Iowa (Intermediate 87) Hudson Davis of Oregon (Intermediate 95) Quentin Saunders of Kansas (Novice 130) Ethan Kremer of Kansas (Novice 140+) Cullen Schriever of Iowa (Schoolboy 70) Beau Bartlett of Pennsylvania (Schoolboy 112) Alfonso Martinez of Arizona (Schoolboy 128) Luke Luffman of Illinois (Schoolboy 190) Read complete story ...

The coaching carousel went for another, albeit abrupt, spin this week as Michigan State announced that longtime head wrestling coach Tom Minkel would resign at the end of the 2016 season. While the news came as a welcome surprise to many in the wrestling community (he had two years left on his contract), the announcement that associate head coach Roger Chandler would be taking over left many nonplussed. The question many readers asked this week was simple: How can an 18-year veteran of the Sparty program be expected to make improvements? I'll agree that from 10k feet up the hire doesn't get me excited. Chandler is a very well-respected coach and his work with the lightweights at Michigan State has produced results. Still, we are used to coaching changeovers that are much more dramatic, and ones that include a national search. Without that search many are left to think that the officials in East Lansing don't care. Maybe. But there is an argument to be made for Chandler. First and foremost he knows the administration, the alumni and the local recruits leaving the ramp-up time to success to be very minimal. Second, he's also seen where the program may have drifted from and what has made others successful and in seeing that up close (and knowing institutional shortcomings) could be best positioned to get them fixed. Finally, he's a proven coach with a lot of experience who would be in the running for other head coaching positions. No, this is not the type of hire that gets the wrestling community in a tizzy of excitement, or speculating when Michigan State will challenge Iowa or Ohio State or Minnesota. However, it does provide a pulse and a chance at growth. Chandler has done nothing wrong, of course. If anything he's shown passion for the sport and loyalty to a friend and school. That's a wrestler quality and one that should earn the initial support of wrestling fans who wish to see Michigan State be a successful program for years to come. To your questions … Q: Where does David Taylor go from here with his training? Seems that gap is growing, not shrinking. Seems like something needs to change. -- @Eagle_Fan David Taylor battles Kyle Dake in the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Foley: Jiu-jitsu. Think I'm kidding? I'm not. There is another world out there for him to dominate on the mat and from which he can bring a multitude of new fans. Winning a World title probably won't happen, and though it would be devastating for him to shift focus he will be inspired by a world filled with new techniques and new problems. Face it, Taylor is a chess player in a sport still dominated by those who play checkers. His ability to learn, background in wrestling and body type could make him one of the greatest American grapplers to ever live. Let me know if he's looking for a gym and I'll find him the right spot. Q: For a Fourth of July BBQ, who on the current World Team (men or women, freestyle or Greco) would you pick for your 6-on-6 volleyball matchup? -- Josh C. Foley: Jordan Burroughs and Adeline Gray are my first two choices since they're both incredibly gifted World champion athletes. Next, I'm going with Andy Bisek because the mustache plays. I'd add in Brent Metcalf for intensity and the sneaking suspicion that he'd play in jeans and put athletic tape around his wrists. To round it off I'd add Helen Maroulis for emotional support and I think she'd be talented at digging out spikes. I'm playing the sixth man and I feel confident that group is winning a yellow medal. Q: Any chance they start letting two guys per county per weight class go to Worlds (not Olympics, just Worlds)? -- @Eagle_Fan Foley: No. That system is used in judo, and though I think wrestling will take on the judo ranking system in years to come, I don't think it benefits the growth of the sport to add another wrestler from each country. Wrestling earns about a quarter of what judo does from participation in the Olympics, which means we have to be very strategic about our worldwide development. Things are looking up with that office now humming along on four continents, but with limited funds you can't risk giving up a huge portion of national representation at the Olympics and World Championships. Q: What do you think of the idea to change the name of beach wrestling to sand wrestling and hosting some competitions along with "mat wrestling" at indoor venues? Think U.S. Open with three to four mats, and a side competition with sand wrestling also going on. If it's logistically challenging to bring the sand indoors, then do it outside the venue (in Vegas, baby!). Basically bring this fringe sport within a fringe sport to the wrestling people who might be interested in seeing it live but don't plan a special trip to the East Coast to watch it. Any chance UWW is planning an exhibit of sand wrestling in Rio? -- Tony R. Foley: I agree that beach wrestling should have a higher profile and think that over the next several years it is a sport that might find its way into more international competitions. The naming is more in line with that of volleyball and because it's part of the World Beach Games the name also appeals to those organizers. There is no exhibition planned, but with the Olympics only 13 months away there might be time to set something up on Copacabana! Q: Any chance Kyle Dake, Nick Marable or anyone else is wrestling for another country in Worlds? -- @Eagle_Fan Foley: No. They wouldn't be eligible until after the World Championships and they would still need to go through a process of repatriation and application through United World Wrestling. It will be interesting to see if any Americans make that leap. Q: It's camp season, give me a list of 10 to 15 guest coaches/clinicians that would make a camp a "can't miss" event. -- Josh C. Foley: In no particular order … 1. Jordan Burroughs 2. Cael Sanderson 3. J Rob 4. Steve Garland 5. David Taylor 6. Sean Bormet 7. John Smith 8. Dan Henderson 9. Zeke Jones 10. Bruce Brunett Q: Are you taking the odds on Chad Mendes? I'm sure it will be something like 2/1 favoring McGregor. -- @coach133 Foley: Mendes is a 'dog anywhere between +115 and +130. How someone would justify taking Conor McGregor is beyond me. This is free money. No, I'm not TELLING you to bet, but I do think that an Irishman with no history of wrestling and a terrible ground game is going to be humped up and down the octagon for 25 minutes ... if he lasts that long without being submitted.

Tim Fader, head wrestling coach at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater whose contract was not renewed by the school last year despite having taken the Warhawks to second place at the 2014 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, has taken the first legal step to sue school officials by filing a Notice of Claim, WISC-TV in Madison, Wis. reported Wednesday. . This action is not a lawsuit, but complies with Wisconsin law, which requires the filing of a notice of intent to sue any state officials 60 days before any legal action can commence. Tim Fader led UW-Whitewater to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division III Championships in 2014According to the document filed with Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, "Timothy Fader was improperly suspended from his job, his employment was not renewed for unlawful reasons, and he was, and continues to be retaliated against by his former employers and co-workers at UWW." Fader has alleged that he was not renewed as wrestling coach in the summer of 2014 because he had notified City of Whitewater police -- but not campus officials -- about an alleged sexual assault involving a recruit who was visiting campus over Easter weekend 2014. Despite the fact the reported victim's mother notified Fader within hours of her first call that the incident did not happen -- and Whitewater police did not detain or file charges against the recruit -- Fader was suspended by school administrators for failing to inform them of the incident, and, later, his contract was not renewed. The Notice of Claim provides a step-by-step account of the events surrounding the incident, as well as those in the following months, mentioning a May 2014 letter from now-retired UW-Whitewater Chancellor Richard Telfer that indicated Whitewater police were conducting an investigation into the school's wrestling program and that Fader had been placed on administrative suspension as the result of potentially violating university policy. "The contents of the letter were so incendiary and condemning of Fader that his children came home from school in tears having been told by classmates that their dad had done something wrong," according to the Notice of Claim. "Fader was also informed that he would no longer be welcome to participate in a previously-scheduled event at school because school officials were not clear as to whether he was allowed to be around children based on Telfer's letter." The Notice of Claim goes on to state that "the Telfer letter has essentially destroyed Fader's career" saying that the former Whitewater coach had been approached by numerous schools but had yet to be hired, despite his success as Warhawk wrestling coach, including having been named Division III Coach of the Year last season by at least one amateur wrestling website. The Notice of Claim cites two specific examples. An official from a Minnesota college reportedly had contacted UW-Whitewater Athletic Director Amy Edmonds to get clarification on what happened with Fader, only be told that "she wished she could tell him the whole story, but she couldn't. This created even more mystery and implied misconduct on Fader's part" (to quote the Notice of Claim) despite facts of the incident having been widely reported, including in an in-depth story for InterMat published in November 2014. In a second example, Fader's attorney asserted that, in April 2015, a college in Iowa had inquired about Fader and after speaking to UW-Whitewater officials, declined to hire him. Furthermore, the Notice of Claim also provides insights into how UW-Whitewater administrators not only handled Fader, but also the school's assistant coach Chris Heilman, who was also accused of misconduct. Heilman had been informed if he did not resign, he would be fired. When Heilman told the school he intended to seek legal counsel before making a decision about resigning, the school revised its offer, saying if he resigned, he would receive severance of one year's salary and a positive letter of recommendation. Heilman eventually accepted the offer, and was soon hired to the coaching staff at the U.S. Air Force Academy wrestling program. In November 2014, Fader requested -- and received -- a letter from the District Attorney of Walworth County -- home to the city of Whitewater and the UW-Whitewater campus -- which states that said at no time was Fader being investigated for alleged criminal behavior. "The chilling effect this could have on other faculty members who may be afraid to go to the police now if they become aware of something because Tim went to the police and he ends up losing his job," Fader's attorney, Stan Davis, himself a former University of Wisconsin System regent., told the Madison TV station. "It suggests (UW-W) didn't want an outside agency to be aware of this until they decided what, if anything, they were going to do about it. Making a scapegoat of one person who actually handled the situation the way I think most people would have does not do anything to help address this problem in the future." The handling of the situation by UW-Whitewater administrators may have been a product of the southeastern Wisconsin school being named by the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education as one of 55 schools nationwide being investigated for how it handled sexual assault or harassment allegations. On Thursday evening at approximately 8 p.m. Eastern, Tim Fader posted the following message on his Facebook page: "You have no idea how much I appreciate the encouragement and support. This has been a very difficult time but I very much believe in the issue at hand. I hope to update you on the fight!"

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Army West Point head wrestling coach Kevin Ward announced the hiring of Chris Chionuma as an assistant coach on Thursday. "I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to coach wrestling at Army West Point," Chionuma said upon his hiring. "I am looking forward to working with the future leaders of America through the sport of wrestling." Chionuma comes to Army West Point after serving as head coach for a year at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. He also worked alongside Ward during the 2013-14 season as a graduate assistant for the Ouachita Baptist wrestling program. During the 2014-15 season, Chionuma led Ouachita Baptist to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships. He also mentored four All-Americans a season ago, including national champion at 184 pounds, Dallas Smith. As a graduate assistant coach in 2013-14, Chionuma contributed to a wrestling team produced a program-record five All-Americans, while helping the Tigers finish fourth nationally. "I couldn't be more thrilled about Chris joining our staff," Ward said. "He will have an immediate impact on the entire team, especially with the middle and upper weights. His success as an athlete speaks for itself and having coached alongside him in the past, I know we are getting someone who knows the sport technically, can teach great technique, and will strive to coach in all dimensions. Chris will make our guys better on and off the wrestling mat. This is a great pickup for our program." Chionuma enjoyed a successful collegiate wrestling career that included three separate NAIA All-America honors while wrestling at Lindenwood University. He also earned an individual national title at Lindenwood in 2011. Chionuma transferred to Oklahoma State following the 2010-11 season, eventually earning a Big 12 championship at 184 pounds in 2012-13. He was a national qualifier on the Oklahoma State team that placed second at the 2013 NCAA Championships. Chionuma earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Oklahoma State in 2012.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Nittany Lion wrestling national champion Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) has been named as the 2014-15 Capital One Division I Academic All-America® of the Year, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Brown is the second Penn State student-athlete to be selected as an Academic All-America® of the Year and joins former Nittany Lion wrestler, Dr. Jim Martin, who received the honor in 1988-89. Dr. Martin won a national title in 1988 and was a four-time All-American at Penn State A criminology and international politics major with a 3.97 G.P.A., Brown is a two-time first-team Capital One Academic All-America® selection, returning to the top squad after previously earning the honor in 2013. A native of West Valley City, Utah, Brown earned both the NCAA and Big Ten Conference Postgraduate Scholarships and won the NCAA title at 174 pounds while helping Penn State to a sixth-place finish at this year's NCAA Championships. "It is quite the honor to be named Capital One Division I Academic All-America® of the Year. In addition to the support of my loving family, this past year I enjoyed the support of my teammates and coaches, Penn State Army ROTC, The School of International Affairs and the Penn State wrestling community," said Brown. "What makes Penn State special is that this is a place where professors, coaches, and administrators have made succeeding in the classroom the top priority and we as student-athletes are given every opportunity to succeed. What a privilege it has been to wrestle and study at Penn State. This award shows that as we continually give our best effort, we can accomplish great things. It also shows that as we focus on effort and attitude, like Coach Cael Sanderson preaches, we will have success." A three-time All-America selection, Brown posted a 29-3 record this season with eight pins, eight major decisions and one tech fall. He departs Penn State with a 118-16 career record, capped by his first NCAA individual title in 2015. Brown also ranks 12th in Nittany Lion history for career wins, and 11th all-time with 30 pins. In addition, Brown took home the 2013 NCAA Elite 89 Award and has garnered multiple National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) first team All-Academic citations, as well as three first-team Academic All-Big Ten Team accolades. He was the recipient of Penn State's McCoy Award. The honor comes shortly after being named a first team Academic All-American and the 2015 Men's At-Large Academic All-American of the Year (the honor that put Brown on the ballot for this award). Brown was also honored as Penn State's overall Male Athlete of the Year. He was one of four Nittany Lion wrestlers to earn first team NWCA National All-Academic laurels as well (the third time he has been honored as such). He became Penn State's 24th three-time All-American in St. Louis this past March. Brown leaves Penn State 12th all-time in wins (118) and 11th all-time in pins (30). "Matt Brown is an outstanding example of what a student-athlete is," said Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson. "He epitomizes hard work, dedication, responsibility and the 'One Team' attitude we strive for here at Penn State," said Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson. "To be named the Capital One Division I Academic All-America® of the Year is truly an honor for any student-athlete and Matt Brown lives every day to the high standards and ideals the award recognizes. The entire Penn State family is happy for Matt and proud of his accomplishments. His leadership will be missed but the example he has set will be a constant reminder to all of our wrestlers," continued Sanderson. 2014-15 CAPITAL ONE SPORT-BY-SPORT DIVISION I ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA® OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS Andy Bevin, West Virginia M. Soccer Sr. Napier, New Zealand Management information systems, 3.93 # Matt Brown, Penn State M. At-Large Sr. West Valley City, Utah Criminology / international studies, 3.97 Rebecca Esselstein,Air Force W. TF/XC Sr. Dayton, Ohio Astronautical engineering, 3.98 Missy Franklin, California W. At-Large Sr. Centennial, Colo. Psychology, 3.58 Sam Koenig, Milwaukee Baseball So. Prairie du Sac, Wis. Education, 3.86 Ashley Luke, Western Illinois W. Basketball Gr. Oak Creek, Wis. Journalism & political science, 4.00 B.A. Haylie McCleney, Alabama Softball Jr. Morris, Ala. Human perf. exercise science, 4.00 Matt Townsend, Yale M. Basketball Sr. Chappaqua, N.Y. Molecular, cellular, dev. biology, 3.98 Krista Vansant, Washington Volleyball Sr. Redlands, Wash. Sociology, 3.30 Stephanie Verdoia, Seattle W. Soccer Sr. Salt Lake City, Utah Political science, 3.96 John Welk, Nebraska M. TF/XC Sr. Bismarck, N.D. Nutrition science, 3.99 Zach Zenner, S. Dakota State Football Sr. Eagan, Minn. Biology / pre-medicine, 3.86

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell head wrestling coach Dan Wirnsberger on Thursday announced the Bison's 2015-16 schedule. Highlighting the challenging slate will be four dual matches in Sojka Pavilion, including a season-opening matchup against EIWA rival Lehigh on Nov. 6. Bucknell, which registered a school-record 15 wins last year, will wrestle seven duals at home and four of them will take place in Sojka. The other three will be held in Davis Gym. The Bison will host perennial national power Oklahoma (Jan. 15) in Sojka and will compete in the facility Jan. 23 as part of a tripleheader with duals against EIWA foes Harvard (12 p.m.) and Brown (7 p.m.) sandwiched around a mid-afternoon Bucknell women's basketball contest. The Bison will also host Gardner Webb (Dec. 19), Lock Haven (Jan. 21) and Bloomsburg (Jan. 31) in Davis Gym. The season opener against Lehigh will mark the first time the Bison and Mountain Hawks have squared off since November 2013 when Bucknell posted its first victory in series history. Lehigh last wrestled in Lewisburg in February 2013. Oklahoma will be paying its first visit to Lewisburg as Bucknell begins a five-match homestand against the Sooners. The Bison will wrestle five of their seven home matches in a 17-day span in the second half of January. Bucknell will open its road schedule Nov. 13 at EIWA opponent Franklin & Marshall. The Bison will also wrestle at the Michigan State Open and Navy Classic in the season's opening month. Bucknell will travel to Las Vegas for the competitive Cliff Keen Invitational the first weekend in December and will make a ninth consecutive appearance at the Virginia Duals in early January. The regular-season schedule will conclude with six consecutive dual matches in February, including five against EIWA foes. This year's EIWA Championships are slated for March 4-5 at Princeton, while the NCAA Championships will take place March 17-19 at Madison Square Garden. Bucknell had six EIWA placewinners and four NCAA qualifiers during a successful 2014-15 campaign. 2015-16 Bucknell Wrestling Schedule Nov. 6: Lehigh* (Sojka Pavilion) Nov. 13: at Franklin & Marshall* Nov. 15: at Michigan State Open Nov. 21: at Navy Classic Dec. 4-5: at Cliff Keen Invitational (Las Vegas, Nev.) Dec. 19: Gardner Webb (Davis Gym) Jan. 8-9: at Virginia Duals (Hampton, Va.) Jan. 15: Oklahoma (Sojka Pavilion) Jan. 21: Lock Haven (Davis Gym) Jan. 23: Harvard* & Brown* (Sojka Pavilion) Jan. 31: Bloomsburg (Davis Gym) Feb. 7: at Sacred Heart* Feb. 13: at American* & at George Mason Feb. 14: at Penn* Feb. 19: at Binghamton* Feb. 20: at Columbia* March 4-5: at EIWA Championships (Princeton, N.J.) March 17-19: at NCAA Championships (New York, N.Y.)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club is proud to announce the addition of J.T. Felix and Dave Habat to its 2015-16 senior-level roster. Felix, a heavyweight standout and Boise State, will compete at 97 kilos/213 pounds, while Habat, a two-time All-American at Edinboro, will compete at 65 kilos/143 pounds. Both wrestlers will be in their first year of full-time freestyle competition. "I'm humbled by the faith that the University of Michigan and the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club has placed in me," said Felix. "I don't have a lot of freestyle experience. It hadn't been a lifelong dream of mine. But they believe that I'm capable of shocking the world, and I'm really excited to make this transition. I'll be proud to represent this community on the international level." "I am very excited and honored to continue my wrestling career at CKWC," said Habat. "Freestyle allows me to wrestle at a world level and keep my passion going. I am focused on winning Olympic and world medals, and CKWC is the place where I know I can accomplish my goals. I am so blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be at an amazing place." A collegiate standout at Boise State (2011-14), Felix was a three-time NCAA qualifier at heavyweight, advancing to the Round of 12 in all three appearances, and claimed the 2014 Gorriaran Award, earning three falls in a combined 6:59. He also captured the Pac-12 heavyweight title as a senior in 2014, defeating Oregon State's Amarveer Dhesi, 7-1, in the championship bout. He also reached the Pac-12 finals as a freshman and junior. Off the mat, Felix excelled in the classroom, earning multiple NWCA All-Academic (2013, '14) and Pac-12 All-Academic (2012, '13, '14) honors. He took a season away from wrestling in 2014-15 while finishing his undergraduate degrees in chemistry and biology at Boise State. While in Ann Arbor, he will prepare for the MCAT and an eventual career in medicine. "I was very impressed with J.T. Felix the first time I saw him wrestle a few years ago and contacted him at the end of his senior season," said CKWC coach Sean Bormet. "He was a little light as an NCAA heavyweight, but 97kg is really an ideal weight class for him. I believe J.T. has a tremendous amount of untapped potential. With the exceptional training partners and coaching he will get with our club at Michigan, I'm excited to watch him develop and excel in freestyle wrestling." A collegiate standout at Edinboro (2012-15), Habat was a two-time NCAA All-American at 149 pounds, claiming second place last year as a senior (2015) -- narrowly falling 3-1 in overtime to Missouri's Drake Houdashelt -- and finishing fourth as a junior (2014). He shared 2015 EWL Wrestler of the Year honors with his teammate Mitchell Port after posting a 36-3 record with three falls, five technical falls and 10 major decisions. He also earned second-place finishes at the EWL Championships and Midlands Championships and won his fourth PSAC title. A two-time EWL champion (2013, '14), Habat concluded his career ranked fifth in career wins at Edinboro with a 134-27 record, while his .832 career winning percentage ranks 14th all-time in program history. "Dave is a very tough competitor and exciting wrestler to watch," said Bormet. "He has a great feel for wrestling and instinct to score points. That ability will transition very well into his freestyle career. I had the opportunity to watch him train in our room a few weeks ago and was really impressed with how hard he competed for every point and his eagerness to work and learn new skills. We are excited to work with Dave in this next phase of his wrestling career." Felix and Habat will both make their CKWC competitive debut this fall.

Harry Geris was a three-time Olympic wrestler, stepping onto the mat for his adopted country, Canada. He was also something of a Forrest Gump or Zelig -- an individual whose life intersected with so many other significant individuals and events in wrestling in the U.S. and beyond ... with a number of these encounters that opened doors for new opportunities in his life and career. It's all uncovered in the brand-new book "Buried in the Maple Leaves: The Untold Story of North American Wrestling Legend Harry Geris" by Shawn Geris, Harry's son, just published by Tate Publishing. Shawn GerisShawn Geris, who wrestled at Fresno City College and Eastern Michigan and now coaches at York University in Toronto, made the analogy between his father and the famous fictional character who found himself meeting significant real-life individuals in historic situations. In an interview with InterMat, the younger Geris described his new book as a "historic snapshot of a that era in wrestling, and how my dad was the Forrest Gump of that era, as a witness to major events of the time, such as the Chicago riots and the Munich (Olympics) massacre. It's also the story of an underdog who perseveres, someone who didn't give up." All about Harry Geris Born in the Netherlands in 1947, Henricus Theodorus Geris -- who became known as Harry -- was the fourth of nine children. His family came to Canada in 1951, unable to speak English or French. Growing up in London, Ontario, Harry and his siblings were expected to take on after-school jobs to help the struggling family put food on the table. Harry himself struggled with his schoolwork and trying to master English. In ninth grade, his principal recommended the strapping youngster join the school wrestling team, where Harry quickly found his place, having grappled with his brothers at home. That was the introduction to the sport that became Harry Geris' life for the rest of his life. Harry Geris battled against the likes of Chris Taylor, the 400-pound-plus heavyweight for Iowa State in the early 1970sHere's just one Forrest Gump-like incident told in rich detail in "Buried in the Maple Leaves" that opened Harry Geris to wrestling opportunities beyond Canada. In Geris' last year of high school, his coach told his wrestlers he had received an invitation for the Midlands, the after-Christmas classic now held at Northwestern University. Geris took the invitation, hitchhiked from Ontario to LaGrange, Ill. in suburban Chicago (then the site of the event), and startled event organizers to the tournament which traditionally accepted only college and post-college wrestlers. His story of perseverance got him accepted into the tournament, but he was knocked out of the competition in the first round. However, the story of Geris' hitchhiking adventure got the attention of Henry Pillard, wrestling coach at Joliet Community College ... who took Harry Geris around to meet other college coaches such as Iowa State's Harold Nichols and Wisconsin's Wally Johnson. Pillard was so impressed with the giant Canadian, he welcomed Geris to Joliet, where he was his coach for the first two years of his collegiate career. Geris' success at Joliet opened even more doors for his educational and athletic career, later competing at Oklahoma State, going up against the likes of Chris Taylor, the 400-pound-plus heavyweight for Iowa State in the early 1970s. Shawn Geris is eternally grateful for Henry Pillard taking his father under his wing at the Midlands. "If it hadn't been for Coach Pillard, my dad wouldn't have achieved what he did," said Shawn Geris. "If he hadn't gone to the U.S., his career would not have taken off." However, as Geris shared with InterMat, "Pillard had said, 'Shawn, when you're recruiting, you look out for people who have had rough times, who are willing to work and work.' He saw that in my father who had hitchhiked eight hours to compete at that tournament." How the book came about "After dad passed away, we wanted to know more about him, since he never talked about himself," Shawn Geris said. "At his funeral, there was a three-hour-long receiving line of wrestlers, and their parents, telling what a difference dad had made in their lives." "Dad had two scrapbooks of his career which I hadn't seen before the funeral. It was bittersweet to get stories from others and not direct from the source ... I never saw him wrestle in person. First time I actually saw him wrestle was on video, years later, of him vs. Japan, at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, supplied by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). I jumped up and down, cheering, along with the Canadian crowd and U.S. wrestling team members who knew him." "It was a four-and-a-half year journey to write the book, with all that I've got going on -- job (as a police officer), coaching, family," the younger Geris continued. "The internet really helped me track people down ... The book is written for his grandkids but we thought it was worth sharing." As for the title "Buried in the Maple Leaves" ... "Dad didn't get to tell his own story," Shawn Geris told InterMat. "I had to uncover it myself. His story is buried even within Canada's sports history, where hockey is THE sport." Harry GerisThe book skillfully blends three basic sources for telling Harry Geris' life: newspaper accounts of his matches ... a straightforward telling of the elder Geris' life, built from interviews with those who knew him well ... and Shawn's own recollections of his father. "Buried in the Maple Leaves" is a story of perseverance, of never giving up, of taking the extra mile to pursue dreams (even if that means hitchhiking great distances, something that Harry Geris did more than once). It's also a story that takes readers behind the scenes at three Olympics (1968 in Mexico City, 1972 in Munich, and 1976 in Montreal) and inside one of the all-time great college wrestling programs, Oklahoma State, where the elder Geris completed his collegiate mat career, going up against the best big men of college wrestling in the early 1970s, like Chris Taylor. No less a sports giant than Randy Couture was impressed with the book. "'Buried in the Maple Leaves' is an epic tale of overcoming life's obstacles and pursuing your passion," said the former UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) champ and Oklahoma State wrestler. "It is a perfect example of why I love the sport of wrestling and the character it develops in all it touches. Anyone, especially the wrestling community, will relate to Harry's experiences through athletics and everyday life." "Buried in the Maple Leaves: The Untold Story of North American Wrestling Legend Harry Geris" is available from Amazon.com or direct from the publisher.

This coming season Wisconsin will be without the services of two of its most accomplished wrestlers, Connor Medbery and Jesse Thielke, according to Badger coach Barry Davis, who shared the news in a Takedown interview. Connor Medbery wrestles Mike McMullan for third place at the NCAAs at heavyweight (Photo/Rob Preston)Medbery will be taking an Olympic redshirt as he prepares for medical school and focuses on freestyle. The Badger heavyweight earned All-American honors this past season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAAs. Medbery has one season of eligibility remaining. "It's going to maybe hurt our team a little bit, but we're doing it for him because we want him to be successful academically as far as getting into med school," said Davis. Thielke is taking an Olympic redshirt in his attempt to make the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in Greco-Roman. In 2013 he was a U.S. World Team member in Greco-Roman at 60 kilos. This year he finished runner-up to Spenser Mango at the U.S. World Team Trials at 59 kilos. He was an NCAA qualifier this past season for the Badgers at 141 pounds. "Jesse Thielke is very good at Greco-Roman," said Davis. "He picks up things up very quickly. But it's your day-to-day routine and consistency that's going to help him make the team."

In the sport of wrestling, summer is prime freestyle and Greco-Roman season. With the Cadet and Junior Nationals taking place at the end of July, top wrestlers from across the country are preparing to compete against the nation's best and for the right to be called a freestyle or Greco-Roman All-American or national champion. Other youth wrestlers are competing in local, state and national summer freestyle and Greco-Roman events. But even the most dedicated wrestlers take time away from the mat and participate in other sports and today's top coaches fully endorse young wrestlers doing just that. But finding the balance between freestyle and Greco-Roman practice and competition and participation in sports such as baseball, soccer, football, lacrosse, golf, cross country, weight training and summer camps is a challenge all coaches, parents and wrestlers face. "I believe there is enough evidence to support having youth athletes participate in multiple sports," says Joe Russell, head coach at George Mason University. "Specialization is not for everyone. In fact, it can do more harm than good. Having young athletes participate in multiple sports can help their overall development." Kevin Roberts, assistant coach at Oregon State University, has a 12-year old son who is starting to find success in the sport of wrestling. But growing up to this point he's played football, basketball and baseball, competed in cross country and track and spent time training in gymnastics. "I think younger kids should participate in multiple sports in addition to competing in wrestling," says Roberts. "It helps to improve athletic skills that are not always the focus of wrestling practices. For most, to be good at the higher levels, they need to be fairly athletic. I think participating in multiple sports also keeps kids mentally fresh and hungry to come in and work hard as they get to the high school age, if they have participated in multiple sports growing up." Read complete story on MatBoss ...

This past weekend in Tulsa, Okla., were the USA Wrestling Junior National Duals for freestyle. Over the two day event, many of the top high school-aged wrestlers from the country assembled to compete, and teams battled to determine supremacy. Within the course of the multitude of dual meets were a plethora of matches placing higher-end wrestlers against one another. This article looks at five wrestlers that return to high school during the 2015-16 season, and had most excellent tournaments. All five went undefeated, and had quality wins along the way; while some of those wins were "expected," they still merit mention. In weight class order … Rhett Golowenski was 7-0 at the Junior Duals in freestyle (Photo/Sam Janicki)Rhett Golowenski (Tuttle, Okla.), 7-0 record at 100 pounds This sophomore-to-be was a state champion during the past high school season as an undersized 106-pound wrestler, after earning fourth in Cadet freestyle last summer at 94 pounds. Prior to the Junior Duals, Golowenski was runner-up at the UWW Cadet Nationals at 46 kilos (approximately 101 pounds). During the past weekend, he won six contested matches without giving up a single point, and five of them were by technical fall. Three of those wins came over wrestlers likely to also be in the rankings pool at 106 pounds this coming season: Peter Ogunsanya (Illinois), Kyle Biscoglia (Iowa), and Patrick McKee (Minnesota). Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall, Okla.), 6-0 record at 126 pounds This two-time state champion entered the Junior Duals ranked No. 31 overall in the Class of 2017, but ended the 2014-15 season outside the top 20 in the weight class rankings at 120 pounds, though he was a FloNationals champion at 113 (+5) pounds in April. Among his wins this weekend was a pin over graduated Nolan Hellickson (Iowa), who ended the season weight class ranked at 126 pounds; a 12-2 technical fall over top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Ian Parker (Michigan); and a 10-0 technical fall over Austin Gomez (Illinois), who is ranked No. 13 in the Class of 2017, though Gomez did bump up a weight class for that match. Austin O'Connor (St. Rita's, Ill.), 5-0 record at 145 pounds This rising junior is already a two-time state champion, and ranked No. 11 in the Class of 2017. His performance level has continued to be strong, even as he goes through the weight classes, winning state at 106 as a freshman and at 132 this past season. Notable wins included a 6-4 decision over top 50 Class of 2016 wrestler Kyle Bierdumpfel (New Jersey), a 6-3 decision over Oklahoma State bound Tristan Moran (Oklahoma), and a 12-1 technical fall over state champion Dresden Simon (Michigan). Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.), 8-0 record at 152 pounds Though yet to make a state final in Pennsylvania's big-school division, the resume for Hidlay is not lacking. He placed third this year in a weight class with the two finishers above him being top five in the nation, placed third in the Super 32 Challenge this past fall, and was a Cadet freestyle finalist in 2013 among his myriad of accomplishments. This past weekend, the nation's No. 20 Class of 2016 wrestler had a 13-2 technical fall over top 100 senior Canten Marriott (Missouri) and an 11-10 decision victory over top 50 senior Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma). Keegan Moore lost in the UWW Cadet Nationals finals, but bounced back to go undefeated at Junior Duals in freestyle (Photo/Sam Janicki)Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central, Minn.), 5-0 record at 195 pounds A Cadet Triple Crown winner last year, this two-time state champion came into the Junior Duals seeking to bounce back from a disappointing upset loss in the best two-of-three finals at the UWW Cadet Nationals in the 85-kilo (approximately 187-pound) weight class. And that is what the nation's No. 11 overall Class of 2016 wrestler did with much aplomb. Quality wins included a 2-1 decision over top 100 graduated senior Cash Wilcke (Iowa), a 5-1 decision over top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Wyatt Koelling (Utah), and a 6-0 decision over top 10 Class of 2017 wrestler Chase Singletary (New Jersey).